


The Fire Children

by Terra (Kittykat748)



Category: Lost Girl
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Mythology - Freeform, Past Relationship(s), Sibling Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-15
Updated: 2012-07-02
Packaged: 2017-11-03 17:25:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 13,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/383997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittykat748/pseuds/Terra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Long ago, the Fire King and his Queen made a pact with a very powerful Blood Seer. In exchange for any favor, this Blood Seer had to be the keeper of their children, abandoning them in the forest to find the strongest. It's been centuries and a strong child has yet to be acknowledged . Until Bo and Kenzi stumble into things...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Curadh

Trick looked out beyond the bar. He didn't look for anything in particular; he was simply admiring his place. The Dal. Every once in a while, his mind would drift back to the past. The flames so hot he had trouble breathing well. The two massive birds, similar to the stuff of myth, eying him closely. The five ostrich sized eggs being rolled his way. The cold dark forests where he laid the eggs out, miles apart from one another.

"Yo, T-man?" Kenzi stepped into his line of vision. He blinked and looked her into her grey eyes. "Did you hear what I said?"

He cleared his throat. "Um, no, Kenzi. I didn't. What can I get the two of you?"

Trick motioned for her to sit and he felt the twin pools of dark brown piercing into him from beside Kenzi. Bo doesn't look to be here for a drink; she wants answers. _Gods help me,_ Trick thinks. _Don't let her ask about Aiofe again. I'm not ready._

"Two beers and some answers, if you have the time," Bo said.

He poured two mugs full of the frothy drink and set them in front of the women. "I always have time, Bo. Answers to what?"

"There's been rumors of fires starting at different clubs around town. There are a bunch of humans that have gotten injured. Iit seems pretty Fae-ish to me."

He grabbed the towel from around his neck and began rubbing down the counter absently. "What answers do you need."

"I wanna know if there are any Fae that get their kicks from frying humans."

"I don't know of any that 'get their kicks' from it. But, many Fae don't see them as anything more than-"

"Food," Kenzi interjected.

"I was going to say 'expendable collateral' but that's also true." Trick smirked at the face Kenzi made and patted her hand.

"What about that book of all known Fae you let me see a while back? Couldn't there be something in there that could help me?"

"I suppose there could be, but I'll do you one better. I'll look into it for you."

Bo reached out and lightly touched his arm. "Thanks, Trick. I own you one. C'mon, Kenz. Let's go."

The two finished off their beers and walked out of the Dal Riata.

Picking his mind for possibly Fae, he walked down the stairs and into the basement. He grabbed the book Bo had mentioned and leafed through. _No, they aren't fire Fae... No, they have been extinct for centuries... Wait a minute._ He grabbed a loose piece of yellowed paper, and held it near the lamp beside him.

It was a crude child's drawing. There was a little pink stick figure girl standing in a field. The sun had a smile and was orange-red like fire. The word "Phenix" was scribbled over the top of the page. He flipped it over and saw a similar hand writing, but smaller and in pen. "By Malena R. 1912"

He sighed and his heart started pounding. He thought of the cute little tanned seven-year-old. Her gold-scarlet hair and that royal birthmark on her forehead.

_"Trick!" she had called up to him. She sat behind the bar as he worked. He had provided her with a stack of paper and some crayons. He handed his customer some grog and looked down at her. Even seated on the floor, she was almost half his height._

_"Why isn't there a page about me in your book?"_

_He recalled that once he'd been found by her, before her death in 1902, he'd destroyed the pages that contained the information on how to find, kill and control Phoenix._

_"Why don't you make one, Mal?" he whispered to her, leaning on the counter._

_"Promise you'll keep it forever?" There was an irresistible twinkle in her eyes._

_"I promise."_

Dyson's footsteps could be heard on the stairs. "Trick," he called to his old friend.

Trick looked his way and showed him the page. "Look on the back. Recognize that name?" Dyson looked it over and his eyebrows raised.

"Malena R? Like Malena Rhys? _My_ Malena Rhys?"

"Yes. Listen, I know this might upset you, but I need to know."

"Anything, my friend."

"Bo is looking into some club fires that end in dead or injured humans."

"You think Mal could have something to do with this?"

Trick lowered his eyes. "I'm not sure of anything. If I could ask her myself, I would. She won't even come here anymore, as you well know."

"I'll try to convince her to come with me tomorrow night."

Trick stood and took Dyson's hand in both of his. "Thank you very much, Dyson. I don't want Bo to be getting involved in this."

"I understand." Dyson walked back up the stairs and out into the night. Trick hoped that Dyson wouldn't upset Malena. If she was behind this, the last thing she'd want would be cops sniffing around. If she wasn't, she'd be very upset at Dyson accusing her of murder.


	2. Malena Rhys, AAL

The computer screen glowed brightly through the darkness of her office. Dyson walked through the halls towards the blue light. Her glasses reflected the screen back to him. He knocked on the door and she jumped. He looked at the name on the door _Malena Rhys, AAL._ She turned off the screen and walked over to the light switch. He saw that she was dressed in a navy pantsuit. Her gold-scarlet hair was wrapped tightly into a bun. She smoothed her hands over her pants and motioned for him to enter.

"It's after hours, Dyson. If you have any Fae business, make it quick," she said. Everything was considered business to her when the cops visited her.

"I know. And, I don't have any Fae business, Mal," he said and walked over to her desk. He sat down in front of it and she stood next to him.

"Then why are you here, Dyson?"

He looked up into her hazel eyes and smiled. "I figured you could make time for an old friend."

"You're more than an old friend. You know that. I know that."

"So, Madame Attorney, care to have a drink with me tomorrow night?"

She hesitated, and he watched her breasts rising and falling as she took deep breaths. "Where do you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking this new club, but it's closed down due to some fires that broke out."

"Yes, I've heard about them. That's what I was looking up before you interrupted me."

He stood and wrapped his arms around her neck. She was very short and at 210 years old, she had a fiery temper. "I'm sorry. I came on Trick's behalf."

Her eyes burned angrily. "Trick's behalf, eh? On what? Does he think I've been killing these people?!"

"Shh." He hugged her close to him with much difficulty, as she struggled. "Listen. There's a Fae who's sniffing around into these deaths. Looking for anyone related to Tine Ríocht (Fire Kingdom)."

"Ha! That'll take lots of time! So many Fae are connected to T ine Ríocht, and not just Phoenix."

"This Fae is hoping to get someone for this. She'll come to you and make business complicated."

"How am I supposed to get around this?"

"Trick wants to talk to you tomorrow. I'll join you guys tomorrow night. Hmm?"

She was softening into his grip and nodded. "Tell me something, though."

"Okay." He was getting excited, in almost a sexual way.

"About this Fae girl. What's her side?"

He hesitated now. "She's neutral...er, undecided."

"She better know that if she's neutral, she's still gotta pledge. Being Fae isn't free."

He sighed and rested his head on her shoulder. "I know. And, there's two more things."

"Okay..."

"She's a succubus."

"Ha! Succubi don't scare me. What's the other thing?"

"She has a human."

The fire in her eyes intensified and she grabbed her coat, turned off the light and walked quickly out of her office. Dyson stood there and shook his head. He hoped to the gods that Mal wasn't the murderer. He knew how much her species hated humans...  



	3. Burns

Malena clacked down the stairs and into the parking garage. Being below ground always made her feel trapped. She was concerned with Dyson coming to her place of business. She never knew he had kept the kind of tabs on her that told of her business. She half expected him to need her for actual business or sex if their conversations got that far.

She got halfway in and realized she'd gotten a ride to work this morning from a neighbor. Her irritation started to boil over. Taking deep breaths, she turned around and walked up two flights of stairs and out onto the sidewalk.

Her cell phone started ringing then, her company phone number that only few knew. She didn't recognize the number at first, but the moment she heard the voice on the other end, she wanted to throw the phone.

"Malena Rhys," she answered.

"Mal, it's Dyson," he said.

She breathed heavily and scowled. Her red Manolo Blahnik Open Toe Pumps sharply hit the cement as she thought of him pressed up against her in her office. "Can I help you, Dyson?"

A pause and the faint sound of an engine starting. "Let me take you home, Mal."

"Wh-"

"Don't try objecting. I can't let a defender of Fae peace like myself walk home alone on these dark streets."

"Nice. Um... fine. You still remember where the house is, right?"

"Yeah. I'm coming up on your right."

She hung up her phone and turned, seeing Dyson's vehicle. He rolled down the passenger window and smiled slyly. Malena opened the door and buckled in. He turned off whatever weird wolf music he'd been playing and turned to look at her. His eyes were dark and full of secrets, but she was sure that his eyes were reflecting her own as well. He drove off then after several awkward seconds of staring.

"Do you object to us stopping somewhere? Hale asked me where I was and I told him I was with you. He wanted to arrange to see you again. Now."

She began tapping her fingernails, which were naturally grey-black, onto the dashboard. "Fine. We gonna meet at my house or what?"

"No. We decided on someplace neutral." She started to object to this, but Dyson interrupted. "Even though you are neutral, Malena, The Ash knows very well of your guards and how they fair to visitors."

They continued on in silence. Dyson hoped to keep Malena in a good mood for a little while longer, and all Malena wanted was to go back to being away from the Fae shit. When he stopped his vehicle in front of the Dal Riata, Malena thought she was going to pull her hair out.

"What the hell are we doing here, Dyson? I thought you said tomorrow."

"I know that's what I said." He grabbed her wrists in one hand and held onto her. This made her eyes widen and she began looking around in a panic. "I'm not going to hurt you. None of us are. We just need to talk. All four of us."

Her lip quivered as she thought it over. She could either stay and have a drink with some old friends, or she could go home and spend a lonely night considering the different Fae that could pull off a stunt like the one she was gonna be blamed for.

"One drink. One talk. Got it?" Dyson nodded his consent and released her. She quickly got out of the vehicle and waited for him to escort her inside.

Even after hours, the feeling of merriment inside the Dal was one that would eventually infect even the sourest of Fae. Dyson waded through the tables with chairs on top of them and walked over to an alcove.

Hale sat there, whistling to himself. Once he saw Dyson and Malena, he changed the tune to one that Malena found to be irresistible. Shaking off the Siren's tricks, she sat in a chair opposite him.

"Well, it's good to see you too, Mrs. Rhys," Hale almost pouted.

Trick, who had heard them walking in, had prepared drinks for the four of them. He strode over and placed the drinks on the coffee table before them. He shook hands with Dyson and turned to Malena.

"You look beautiful," he said, clearly forgetting the company he was in.

"I will accept your compliment, Master McCorrigan."

"Kind of formal, don't you think? I mean, considering the relationship you two... had..." Hale interjected. Both Trick and Malena had turned to him, then looked at each other for a moment.

"There's no need to discuss the past. We're here for business. Correct?" Malena declared. Trick sat next to Malena, brushing his hand against hers.

"A toast," Trick cleared his throat in the silence. "May the gods continue to bring us good fortune."

"Ay," the others agreed. They touched glasses and swallowed down a taste of Trick's best ale.

"What did you find out, Hale?" Dyson said after the toast.

Hale pulled out some files and showed them to Dyson and Malena. They were statistics and photos from each of the damaged clubs. One photo in particular caught Dyson's eye.

"Trick, did you notice this?" He pointed to the unusual streaks of soot on the outside of one of the buildings.

"I did. I can't make out anything of it though."

"Have you presented any of this to The Ash yet?" Malena asked, taking the photo in her hand. Hale shook his head and Malena scowled down at the photo, turning it slightly so that Trick could also see what she saw.

"Good thing you didn't."

"You two know what this is?" Dyson asked.

"Yes. You all may want to have another drink first." The two cops did so and Malena continued. "These are wing prints."

"What, you mean like bird wings?" Hale asked. Malena nodded. "Damn. How can you tell?"

"The photo is poor quality, but now that Malena's said that, I agree. It's almost like someone took a fire to the bird and made an impression in the brick," Trick was almost solemn.

"What are you two saying?" Dyson demanded. Malena dropped the photo on the ground and lowered her eyes. Trick watched her protectively.

"We're saying that this is a member of Tine Ríocht," Trick said slowly.

Hale, who had been nursing his beer, hiccuped into the glass. "Damn!"

Malena's head slowly rose. She absently rubbed her arms. "I can ask around a bit, about other members, but I won't get very far. The Light and Dark don't like if I poke my head into their business."

"I have a solution," Dyson said. He squatted down next to her. "You need to meet Bo."

"The succubus?!" Dyson nodded and Malena tried to rise from her seat. Dyson quickly had her arms pinned to the armrests of the chair.

"What can I do to get you to meet Bo, Mal?" Dyson pleaded.

Malena's eyes burned harshly with fury. "Make sure she keeps her human at home."

"I'll see if I can keep Kenzi out of the way for a couple of hours," Hale bargained.

"Now, Mal. I'm sure you can behave yourself for a few hours," Trick pressed.  


"I'll get Bo to come here, if I can. Tomorrow night," Dyson agreed. He released Malena again and she stood. Trick edged closer to her and put his arm around her waist.

"Shall we drink to it, then?" The four of them raised their glasses again and swore over the frothy ale.

As Hale and Dyson left, Malena helped Trick move the glasses back over to the bar.

"You know something? Hmm?" He asked his past wife. She gave him a sultry look and got down on her knees. Even then she was a bit taller than him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against his shoulder.  


"Of course I do."

"Those were Phoenix marks on that club." It wasn't a question.

"Yes. And by the looks of that photo, something scared them enough to make them back up."

"Who do you think it is?"

She leaned back and looked into his tired, all-knowing eyes. "I don't know. But I'm damn sure gonna find out."  



	4. Fluff Piece

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Simply some sexual fluff on Malena and Trick... Does not effect the progression of the story, however it does include some interesting changes to their relationship... More to follow...

"Do you need some help getting home?" Trick asked. He looked as tired as she felt. They were sitting in the alcove again, on a loveseat. Malena shook her head and moved around so that her head was in Trick's lap. Instinctively, he took her hair down and finger-combed it. He was positive that even after all their years apart from one another, she would only let him do this.

"I'd rather not go back to that big empty house of mine," she yawned.

Trick paused and thought back to when the two of them had lived in that house together.

"Yuck!" She eased upright and he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I feel sooooo tired! I need a drink. Do you have any of that magical fire elixir you got especially for me?"

He sighed and walked over to the bar. Pulling out a shot glass, he filled it with the clear liquid. She almost crawled over to the bar and sat on the stool before him. With a twinkle in her eye, she popped it back.

"You gonna join me, Trick?" Reaching over the bar and pulling out another glass, she filled it with tequila. He narrowed his eyes as she handed him the glass. He knew that denying her the pleasure of watching him down the alcohol would hurt her feelings. Bravely, he let the liquid burn down his throat like lava into his stomach. Pounding the bar top, he shook away the feeling.

"That's the McCorrigan I know."

Malena realized that being here, in the Dal, with her past husband, was making her feel things she hadn't felt since they separated. She realized that that was why Trick was tolerating having her here still; he felt it too.

Trick poured each of them another shot of their respective brews. He lifted his glass, touching it against hers. "To us?" He knew he was treading on faulty grounds. She nodded and returned the sentiment. "To us."

They threw them back and stared at each other. Suddenly, they burst out laughing. They hadn't been able to laugh in the presence of one another for a long long time. They stopped laughing as Malena came across the bar, sitting in front of him.

"Can I tell you something, Trick?" Malena's voice was filled with excitement.

"No, Mal," he had turned away and whispered.

"No?! What the hell do you mean n-"

Trick had silenced her with a passionate kiss. A buzz flowed through him and into her and back. Malena felt his hands clench around her waist, pulling on the fabric of her suit jacket. They pulled away and Trick frowned.

"They make women's clothes so much harder to undo these days, eh?" He joked. Malena pecked his lips and pulled something deep within her soul up to the surface.

In seconds, there was a pile of clothes and a flaming scarlet bird standing before Trick, it's tail feathers glittering. Seconds later, Malena had shifted back into her human form, gloriously naked and her hair falling in waves.

"Is this a competition now, Malena?" Trick asked, trying to make quick work of taking off his clothes.

"Maybe. But, I think I can help with that too." She popped loose the buttons of his shirt and toyed with his belt.

After several agonizing minutes, Trick was quite hard and Malena could feel heat radiating from her body.

"I do believe this counts as my apology," Trick grunted, pulling her by the hips. Where he lay on the floor behind the bar, she straddled him expertly, not afraid of hurting him since she had hollow bones.

"Well, you were always my biggest weakness." She leaned down and fired him up with a kiss.


	5. Cliffhanger

A slight pause in the storyline, as I get my thoughts together. Hopefully, I can get it going again soon.

Thanks,

Terra (Kittykat748)


	6. Eve and Theo

When Malena came up the stairs from the basement, Trick was cleaning off the tables. The chairs which had been stacked up were now clumped in the middle of the room. She looked at him from afar, re-adjusting her hair. Being underground always made her feel constricted.

There was a feeling in the air that made her feel constricted and claustrophobic even as she opened the windows. Rubbing her hands together nervously, she stared out the open window and took several calming breaths. The thin nightgown she'd found in Trick's drawers blew lazily in the small breeze.

Trick had heard the creaking of the window opening and remembered his intimate moment with Malena hours earlier. The two had slept behind the bar out of exhaustion and when he woke, he carried her to the basement to get things in order for open hours. He could hear her breathing falter and he stopped his wiping. Flinging his rag over his shoulder, he walked up behind her.

"You alright?" he asked her, watching her curiously. She looked as though she would jump out of the window and take flight.

Malena turned around and he saw she was rubbing her hands together.

"I-i feel trapped," was all she whispered. Trick narrowed his eyes. "There's, like, I tingling all through my body. Like, I'm here but I'm not fully here. Does that make sense?"

Trick cocked his head and considered her words. "Not entirely. I'm more concerned with why you haven't left yet. Are you feeling okay?"

She stopped rubbing her hands and crossed her arms, the coarse fabric irritating her skin."Left for where? What time is it?"

He turned and walked back to his table cleaning, well aware of how she would react. "It's almost eight."

Malena suddenly began to seethe with rage. Angry at her tardiness to work, she pounded her fist against the wall. She ran around the bar, trying to gather the rest of her clothes and shoes. "I'll pay for anything I've broken!" she growled as she ran out of the door to her car.

Trick shook his head and realized that she haven't reacted as he expected. Then again, he only remembered her from their relationship. But, he thought, we're in a relationship now. Aren't we?

Malena sped down the street, one hand gripping the steering wheel and the other fumbling with her Blackberry. She tried to type her boss' office number, but to no avail. Coming up to her turn, she jerked the wheel sharply. The tires squealed on the pavement and her phone fell to her feet. A ringtone suddenly started playing. Her boss' ringtone.  
Bending down with her left hand still on the wheel, she grabbed the vibrating phone and answered it.

"Mr. Baas, I am so sorry, it won't hap-" her pleas were interrupted as she look up. Her car had been drifted to the right and as she dropped her phone into her lap, she over-corrected. The car collided with the telephone pole and her head hit the steering wheel.

Looking up from the shattered glass, Malena saw two people walking forward. The man worked to pulling her door off it's hinges as the woman calmly stood in front of the car, watching.

The man finally worked the door open and grabbed firmly onto her elbow, pulling her out of the car. Helping her into the alleyway from which they emerged, he let her go and lean against the grimy wall. The woman joined them and Malena lowered her head as the police sirens whirred in the distance.

"Thank you for helping me," she raised her head, and looked into their eyes.

"No thanks necessary. What's family for?" the woman declared. Malena gave her a look and blinked her eyes. Then she really looked at them. The gold-scarlet hair, short to their shoulders, and the lavender eyes.

Those are traits that are genetic, from what she'd heard from her college roommate.

"We ... are family, then?"

"Yes, Malena, we are," the man nodded his head.

"Well, it's obvious you know me. Who are you two?"

"I am Theodore and this is our sister, Evelyn."

"Nice to meet you. Listen, I'd love to get to know things, but I'm already really late to work and I've got to get home and shower," Malena said, walked away from the street and wrecked car.

"Why don't you just ... you know ..?" Evelyn asked.

"I can't do that! I ... we can't do that. It's an order of the A-"

"Listen, Mallie," Theodore said. Malena was silenced then. "We don't really listen to the Ash and the Morrigan. Just because we might be aligned with them now and again doesn't mean shit. We can do whatever we want."

"C'mon. Let's go, Mallie," Evelyn said, jumping around.

Malena looked back at the wreckage that was once her car. There was nothing she could really do to fix it, not to mention the emergency vehicles surrounding it. Nowhere to go but ... up.

The three brought forth the bird inside of them and flew off in the direction of Malena's house. The humans below were completely unaware of them as they soared over their heads.


	7. Grog Overfloweth

As soon as Bo and Kenzi walked into the Dal, they were swept into the jubilation and merriment. At least, Kenzi was; Bo wasn't in the mood to party. It had been several days, and she hadn't heard back from Trick about any leads in the case. As Kenzi went about her own business, Bo sat at the bar.

On the opposite end of the bar, Trick stood and wiped up a small spill. He looked her way and went to serve her.

"Get me a couple of shots, Trick. I need something that'll knock me out," she sighed, leaning against the bar. He did so and placed them in front of her.

"What's the problem, Bo?" He watched as she tossed both shots back, wiping the sides of her mouth.

"I haven't gotten anywhere in this case. It's driving me crazy. I thought you were gonna ask around, Trick." She slammed the glasses down and gave him a look.

"Bo, I've done all that I could. I contacted someone who can answer any questions you have," he admitted.

"Well, Trick, where is this person?" He pointed behind her at the three well dressed people walking in. Bo turned and raised an eyebrow.

Malena tried her hardest to tolerate the humans in the Dal Riata. Both Evelyn and Theodore were walking behind her, acting like her bodyguards. Sitting at one of the tables, Theodore motioned for Trick to bring him threes drinks. Trick poured up three glasses of ale and nodded at the table. Bo watched as one of the women walked over and grabbed two glasses.

"Who are they?" Trick asked her, not bothering to keep it to where Bo couldn't hear.

"They're my ... siblings. Theodore and Evelyn," she said, her voice very feeble. Trick stared her right in the eye and she took two of the drinks back to the table.

She returned to the bar and took a nice swig from her drink. She grimaced and pushed it away. "It's way too strong for me." Trick rolled his eyes and watered it down for her.

Turned to look at Bo, the woman smiled softly. Bo hadn't realized how beautiful she was. "Hi there. I'm Malena Rhys. I believe you are the 'Bo' child I heard so much about, correct?" she soothed.

Malena watched as this girl's eyes glowed icy blue.

Trick slapped a hand on her arm. "Bo, stay away from her. With her siblings here, there's no telling what they'll do to you," he warned. Her hormones calmed down and Bo looked at Malena.

"Well, I guess before we talk, I'd better get some more of this," she smiled and motioned to her empty shot glasses.

Malena smiled back and waved away her brother's stare. "Trick, would you please give us a bottle?" she handed him some kind of foreign money. Bo watched as he held onto her hand longer than necessary and pocketed the paper. Handing Malena his best bottle of ale, Trick watched as she walked to a table separate her siblings.

Before Bo went to join her, he looked her in the eyes. "Bo, she's royalty. Her siblings are her bodyguards. If you do anything that could threaten her, it's over for you. Even I can't interfere with their judgement."

Bo smirked and gave him a innocent look. "Guess I better be glad she got a bottle."


	8. Deliver

Eve and Theo watched as Malena and the dark haired woman seated themselves at a table far from their own. Theo didn't take his eyes off of the other girl. She seemed to be working her charms hard in order to get information out of Malena, but she wasn't buying it. Eve turned to Theo and cleared her throat.

"There's nothing that succubus can do to make Mallie tell. We've got her now," she smiled. Theo nodded, but didn't take his eyes away.

Malena poured a glass full of Trick's special drink and placed it before Bo. Looking at it intently, she took a sip and placed the glass on the edge of the table.

"What are you looking for, Bo?" Malena said, rubbing her shoulder. After her impromptu flight that afternoon, her arms were aching. She'd never had to use them for movement and, though it was fun, it was very painful.

"I'm looking for information." Bo smirked. "You know anything about the clubs burning down?"

"Yes, of course. It's part of my duties as a royal."

"Which family are you of anyway?" Malena could tell that Bo was wary of her, convinced that she could have something to do with the human murders.

"You understand that there are five families of noble blood for human and for Fae. There's a special case to that. There are two noble families that exist separate of humans and Fae. These are those of the kingdom Tine Ríocht."

"What's Tine Ríocht?" Those close enough to hear them mention the kingdom were silent. Malena leaned in closer and looked her in the eyes.

"Tine Ríocht is a legendary kingdom, only found in children's bedtime stories. But, it contains only those of a certain species. Those of the Fire species, born of the stuff of nightmares. With legend, they massacred the humans who interfered with Fae business. You could now call them bodyguards of Fae."

"Fire species? Like what?" Bo forgot of the murders and was simply engrossed in the history.

"I ... I can't tell you any more of this. After all, it's simply just a silly story. The noble family I am part of is one I married into. Excuse me for a moment."

Malena stood and walked back to the bar. Trick handed her a shot glass of the clear drink and gave a look to Bo.

"She's quite eager, isn't she?" Malena said. "Wants to know everything about everything."

"What did you tell her?" Trick asked. He looked into those deep violet eyes and saw the faint royal curled insignia on her forehead.

"I told the child those old bedtime stories you used to tell me, that you used to tell Dyson."

"And she believes then. I can see it in your eyes. "

"Yeah. She believes all of it. I don't think I'm ready to even admit this stuff to myself, let alone out loud." He noticed her rubbing her shoulder.  


"Go home, Mal. You three don't need to stay here any longer. You can come back anytime."

"Thank you." Snapping her fingers, Eve and Theo stood and walked over to her. Trick was shocked at how much each resembled their parents. Turning and leaving, he watched as Bo realized she'd been ditched and walked to him.

"Where are they going? I have so many questions," she enthused.

"Bo, listen. I told them to go and get some rest. You can't overwhelm her like that?"

Angered and insulted, Bo grabbed Kenzi and dragged her out of the Dal. Waiting outside of the landing, she saw the two siblings.

"Evelyn would like to treat you to something special, succubus. Some more information and possible a game or two. I will take your human back home for you and watch her if you want," Theodore said, grabbing Kenzi and flinging her over his shoulder.

"Come now, succubus. Don't be shy. You know you're just dying to know what she doesn't want you to know. I'll give you all that and more," Evelyn cooed.

Wrapping her arm around Bo, she walked her down the sidewalk, while Theodore put Kenzi in Bo's car and drove her home.

"Now, succubus, how do you feel about coming to our place?"  



	9. Show and Tell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content is present ... More to follow...

_The best way to get Fae as strong as a succubus to be what you want, is to give into whatever they want._

Evelyn and Bo continued down the dark sidewalk, arm in reluctant arm. Evelyn was convinced that Bo was still wanting answers and she felt bad misleading Fae. Especially since she had been mislead once or twice before.

"So, your name is Bo?" Evelyn spoke. She'd overheard her sister muttering the name under her breath when they'd gone to her house.

"Yes. And you're Eve," Bo declared, sounding very uneasy. She didn't know this strange girl who was walking her down the street. Though her pale lavender eyes were stunning, there seemed to be some kind of darkness behind them.

"Yep! And I heard that you were looking into those murders a couple of days ago."

"I was. Why? Do you know something I should be concerned about?"

Eve smiled coyly and pointed off in front of them. Even in the darkness, Bo could tell that they had reached the outer edge of the woods. Effortlessly, Eve jumped up onto the brick wall and down onto the other side. Coming back to the iron front gate, she typed in the code and the gate eased open on robotic arms.

"Here we are. Green Acres."

"This is where you live?"

Eve laughed and grabbed Bo's hand, starting up the winding street. "This is where Mallie lives. Theo and I live back home, but I have a key. It seems like all Fae want to exploit their wealth and power through big houses and stuff like that."

"I agree."

They continue walked until Eve stops in front of this two story home. It looks like it was plucked right out of a magazine. It's white bricks were illuminated by the yellow light shining from the top window of an attic. The tree line had been pushed back one hundred feet from each corner of the house. It was a magical place.

"It's beautiful." Bo was amazed, until she noticed something odd about the construction of the house. "Where are the stairs?"

The wrap-around porch had openings in the guardrail, but no steps to lead to the doors.

"Ever since Mallie started living out here on her own, she got rid of them. It wasn't like they were necessary. Come on. I wanna show you something cool."

Walking around to the right side of the house, Bo saw tree planted rather closely to the lit upper part of the house. It was just tall enough for one to reach the window, but just short enough not to be noticed.

"After you," Eve giggled. Irritated, Bo threw off her heels and started upward. The window was opened slightly and she pushed it open with her foot, landing on the hardwood floor.

Bo looked around and saw lit candles floating in bowls of water on almost every shelf. A gigantic red rug lay in the middle of the room. She heard Eve land on the floor next to her and turned.

"What is this?" she asked Eve, who walked over and lay face up on the rug.

"This is the one spot of her house Mallie has no idea about. I have the only key up here."

"Are you going to answer my questions?" Eve nodded, so Bo asked her the first question that popped into her head. "What are the two families of the Tine Ríocht?"

"There are more than two families, Bo. But, the two _royal_ families are both Phoenix."

Bo was shocked. _More than two families?_ It would take her ages to figure the case out, and she didn't have a lot of time. Eve noticed Bo's shock and patted the rug next to her. Slowly, Bo lay down, her head next to Eve's.

"It's okay, Bo. I understand this might be frustrating. But, I can help you out. After all, I'm a Phoenix too. So is Theo and so is Malena."

A long pause as Bo considered the information. "I'll give you whatever you want in exchange for your help."

Eve smirked and raised herself up, her body pressed against Bo's. "What I want is what you want. I knew from the moment I first touched you that you wanted me, Bo. It's okay. I don't bite."

There was a lustful, eager look in Eve's eyes as she kissed Bo. The sexual desire in the room made Bo hungry and horny. Reaching up into Eve's gold-scarlet hair, she yanked the black pearl headband out.

Inching slowly down Bo's body, Eve took her time to trail her tongue across every bit of exposed skin. Seeing Bo starting to sweat, she ripped Bo's top off of her, doing the same to her pants.

"Don't hold ... anything back, Bo."

A passionate kiss put Bo in control, her eyes glowing icy blue. The strength and sexual power she took from Eve was more than she'd ever experienced.

Their fiery moans pierced through the silence of the woods intermittently. Waiting in the basement below, a formless parasite was feeding off of every sound Bo made. It felt every inch of Eve's hot body she did and it throbbed with longing. Eventually, it began to taste the sexual power she tasted and it screeched as Eve reached her climax.

 


	10. Cliffhanger

Another slight pause in the storyline, as I get my thoughts together. Hopefully, you've enjoyed the story so far. Warning: chapters will probably get more and more explicit as the story continues.

Thanks,

Terra (Kittykat748)


	11. Doctor Marilus Brandt

Malena looked out in the deep blue-black sky and saw the lights of Griffin, Lynx & Skuld law firm were still on. She lumbered into the brightly lit foyer and shielded her sensitive eyes from the giant chandelier. Pressing "7" in the elevator, she rode up to her office.

Walking past her secretary's desk, Malena unlocked the door to her office, tossing her sweater lazily onto the floor. As of right then, her everything hurt and all she wanted to do was relax. Kicking out of her high heels, she shuffled over to her desk and booted up the computer.

After signing in, she noticed something was odd, almost out of place. Looking over the tops of her glasses, she peered through the darkness that consumed her office space. Every piece of furniture, every photo, everything, was illuminated by fiery red. Malena halted her breathing and listened intently. Nothing.

There was a sound of deep exhaling from beside her and she tensed, reaching out to pull the cord on her desk lamp. Standing next to her was Dyson, looking crazed and just as tired as she felt.

"What is it, Dyson? And why do you look like that?" she asked.

"I'm here to tell you now, Malena," he began.

"What's the problem?"

"I don't want you telling Bo anything else. Nothing."

"I don't think I have to answer to you, Dyson. I'll tell the child whatever I have to to make sure that she stays far away from my business and my life."

"That's what I'm worried about. I can't have you talking to her anymore. If you do, it won't end well for you." He reached over and threw her computer out of the window faster than she could react. She stared at him, anger fuming from every pore. "Good night."

Dyson left and she stood, confused and angry. She was exhausted and wasn't about to be threatened. Not only did she have a problem with Bo, but she had a new problem with Dyson. The pink-yellow colors of dawn peeked into her once dark office.

Lennon, her secretary and full-time Diwata walking in looking like he'd just finished a brisk jog. He was talking on the phone and sat on top of his desk. Though he was a Diwata, he was a weak one who would submit to anyone who was strong enough. Malena was lucky enough to catch him when she did. He was a valuable asset who made this business very successful.

She suddenly saw him jump off the desk, dropping the phone onto the hardwood floor. A giant walked into the office area -- well, he wasn't quite a giant, but he was way bigger than anyone she had met.

There was whispering and the giant African American man sat in a row of chairs that looked directly into her office. His blue-grey eyes were piercing right through her own violet eyes. It seemed as though their souls were reaching out to one another.

The feeling made Malena very uncomfortable, so looked away. She could sense the anticipation from Lennon and she turned back. He was standing behind the visitor and made frantic hand movements.

Reluctantly, Malena walked out of her glass door, standing several feet away from the visitor.

"Are you in need of some legal assistance, sir?" She asked, feeling awkward.

"Actually, I'm here strictly for information Mrs. ..." he said in a sexy accented voice.

She cleared her throat and blushed. "Ms. Rhys."

He nodded. "Dr. Marilus Brandt." She looked at him again and saw the light blue scrubs underneath his khaki jacket. She could feel his eyes sizing up her doll-sized body as well.

"What kind of information are you looking for, Doctor Brandt?"

"Perhaps we should discuss this in you office. I don't think it's something appropriate for your Diwata to hear."

She was stunned and couldn't breathe. The two of them walked alone into the office. She took her time locking the door and closing the blinds.

"How did you know about my Diwata?" She asked walking around to her desk and reaching underneath, grabbing the silver knife there.

"You didn't think I was keeping tabs on you?"

"What do you mean 'keeping tabs on me'? We just met."

"After the induction of the new ash, I could sense your power. I felt it as though it were my own. When I saw you walking around one afternoon, I knew I had to make sure you were who I thought you were."

Malena tossed the knife as he finished talking. He easily caught it and looked it over.

"You are quite feisty, Malena. I might have underestimated you. But, we'll have plenty of time to figure these things out later." He began walking towards her. She whipped her hand out for her phone, but he grabbed it and held it in his huge hand.

"You really don't recognize anything about me, do you? My royal physique? Regal tail feathers? Surely those parents of yours mentioned me."

"Oh my gods. You're a Phoenix too?" He nodded and she saw it. The faint symbol on his forehead, the sign of the Phoenix. Unlike her own, it was much more masculine looking.

"Of the Brandt family. And you, of course, are my betrothed."

Malena felt like she was going to vomit. Her knees gave out on her and she collapsed on the floor. Marilus let at go of her hand and and stared at her as though she was inconveniencing him.

"I will return within a week's time," was all he said as he turned to the broken window. He jumped up and out, but she didn't bother to look and watch. She secretly hoped he crashed and died.

She couldn't handle anymore information. If she thought she was overwhelmed, it was tripled as of that moment. Though she didn't know much about Bo, and even less about Marilus Brandt, she knew Trick could help her out. The last thing she wanted, though, was to rely on her ex-husband. As she eased back into her swivel chair, she prayed Eve and Theo knew where to get what she needed, what with no computer.

_Damn Dyson and his Bo child. And especially Doctor Marilus Brandt. Even though I want him to come back..._


	12. See No Evil

Kenzi woke up to the sound of running water. Still suffering from a massive hangover, she lifted up and looked on the wall across from her. The clock told her it was lunchtime, though she couldn't remember much about the previous 13 hours. Large chunks were missing, but one key thing was certain: everything had something to do with Bo... The bar, booze and someone's drunken laughter... She didn't remember getting home either and felt as though someone had dressed her.

Looking into the kitchen, she saw Bo standing in the same leather top and bottoms she had worn last night. She turned and gave Kenzi a cute smile.

"Good morning, Kenz," she sang.

"W-what happened last night?" Kenzi asked, her voice hoarse.

Bo laughed and brought Kenzi some aspirin and a glass of water. "I'm not sure what you mean. We went to the Dal and had a little too much to drink. I brought you home after that."

Kenzi swallowed the pill and cleared her throat. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better than I have in a long time."

She looked into Bo's brown eyes. "Even about D-man?"

"Yes, even about Dyson. I can comfortably say that I am over Dyson. For good this time."

"I'm glad you said that."

"Why's that?"

"I have a feeling I have some good news for you about the case. That lawyer you were talking to? Mandy, Melinda? Whatever her name is. There was a dude there, I was talking to him for a long while, and he said that he works for her. He told me the name of the company she works for and I'm gonna look into her workings."

"Where's the building?"

"About ten miles from the Dal. A tall dark looking building called Griffin, Lynx & Skuld. You can't miss it."

"Well, you know what we gotta do now."

"Head on over and kick some Fae lawyer ass!"

Bo smirked and looked away from Kenzi. "Not quite."

Suddenly, Bo cold cocked Kenzi. Groaning on the floor, Kenzi looked back just in time to see Bo quickly grab a heavy vase from the coffee table.

"Bo? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I just don't feel like Bo anymore."

"What?"

"You didn't honestly think I liked you, did you? You're nothing but prey. Getting into personal Fae business won't make your life any easier or safer. Especially since I'm leaving you."

"Wait, wait, wait! You don't wanna do that, Bo. I know you."

"You don't know me well enough." The vase broke over Kenzi's head, nearly cracking her skull. Everything was black and painful.

~~~~~~~

Malena could barely hold her head up from the table. Her body shook and pain shot up her side from all the laughing she was doing. Vex sat next to her and laughed from his previous joke, pouring more scotch into their glasses.

"You really think this guy has any clout, Mal? Surely the Morrígan would intervene if you asked real nice like," Vex reminded her his British accent slurred.

"Marilus would simply override anything the Morrígan said. If he's got the guts, he will," she swallowed back the lump in her throat. Being reminded of her encounter with her so-called husband two days ago made her feel saddened for some reason.

The bass of the new song rumbled underneath them. There was a pause in conversation as they tossed back their drinks.

"Listen, I'm not gonna condone violence, but I heard word that the Morrígan is looking into those club fires. She's going rather deeply into your business, specifically."

"She wouldn't seriously suspect me of all this, would she? I've been sup-super loyal to the Dark for the past 74 years and -" She stopped and sighed. "I haven't been looking into these murders for a couple of days now, but I'm sure only humans were targeted."

Vex shook his head and looked her straight in the eye. Her hand started involuntarily rubbing her head. "Several prominent Light an' Dark Fae nobles were killed. These were very calculated murders. The Morrígan is determined that if you don't find out something in less than five days, she's gonna ruin you."

"Why the hell are you telling me this, Mesmer?"

"Because you an' I are business people. We are alike more than you think. That and I may be needin' to redeem a favor soon."

She nodded and stood. Placing her hand lightly on Vex's shoulder, she walked out into the dusky evening and hailed a cab.

~~~~~~~

The Dal wasn't as crowded as it usually was. Malena was reminded of the last time she'd been here, when she learned about the succubus and had that passionate moment with Trick. Walking back to the alcove, she once again saw Dyson and Hale  sitting around. Trick brought the two of them drinks and placed them on the coffee table.

"I'll have whatever they're having, Trick," she said as she walked over. The three of them looked up and noticed the look of anxiety on her face. She looked much older than she was and they were worried.

"Malena, what are you doing here?" Trick asked. He watched her sit down and look out at Hale.

"I'm here for business."

"What kind of business?" Dyson asked, all merriment gone from his face.

"Before we get into that, I want to know what compelled you to come to the firm two days ago and terrorize Lennon and me," she accused.

Dyson looked at her without any understanding. "I haven't visited you at work recently, Mal."

She pursed her lips and settled for his obvious lie. "The Morrígan is going to shut me down unless I figure out why those clubs were destroyed. Apparently, when we first discussed these murders, some nobles were killed in the process."

Trick handed her some of the newest ale and walked back to the bar. The three of them raised their glasses in a toast. The frothy ale bubbled up her nose and she sniffed.

"What's the newest scoop, Malena?" Hale asked. "Know you gotta have something on this."

"I believe that those photos you got of the brick, with the wing prints, were planted there. I had assumed and told Trick that something must have frightened them into backing up. Now, I'm not so sure that is solid."

"What are you thinking now?" Dyson asked, keeping his voice down as a kelpie walked by.

"I'm thinking that this member of Tine Ríocht was trying to throw us off. Like there was a bigger prize involved than killing a few humans."

"You said there were nobles involved. Maybe your parents have some kind of score they wanted to settle."

She snickered. "My parents don't give two shits about the nobles. And I think they were just expendable too. No, there has to be something we're missing and we've only got five days to figure it out."

"Five days? What happens in five days?" Hale asked, though he was hesitant.

Malena sighed and resigned to tell them. "I met another of my kind two days ago. He told me I have five days until he returns to basically make my life a living hell. The Morrígan has given me the same deadline to close this case before she destroys my business forever."

"You think this other Phoenix could be the killer?"

She couldn't answer Hale. As she looked to her left, she saw Trick taping up a missing persons flyer. It had a little human on it. The same human that was always trailing after Bo.

"Dyson, I have one more question to ask you," she said suddenly, standing to leave.

"Shoot," he returned. His jaw tensed and a giant vein popped out of his neck.

"You seen Bo in the past two days?"


	13. You're Dead To Me

As Malena quickly left the Dal she shivered, and not from the cool night air. She couldn't shake the sneaking suspicion that there was a huge portion of the evidence they were missing. Hale had accepted her assumption, while Dyson took some persuading. They had agreed to keep Trick out this time for fear he'd react poorly.

 _It was Bo,_ she thought as she sat, wearily, on the bench outside the Dal Riata. _Bo was the prize. She had to be because no one would go to such lengths to steal her simple human pet. But why take Bo anyways? What could she possibly be useful for?_

She was overcome by a sudden wave of nausea. She became very feverish and very clammy. She couldn't think of a time when she'd ever felt half as badly as she did then. She doubled over as a sharp pain started in her stomach and spread to her chest. She figured she was having a heart attack.

There was a gust of wind before her, but she couldn't look. Panting and groaning, she willed herself to just pass out already. She didn't think she could handle another minute of the pain. Blessedly, she did. The pain only slightly less excruciating, but it was bearable as she was surrounded in black.

Marilus Brandt had been watching her since she left her office for the day. The entire kingdom was on red alert and he had been ordered to watch her for the rest of the day. A death threat had been cast at the Rhys family. The three most important family members were ordered to be watched and kept safe.

He watched her walk out of the way-station and sit on the bench out front. When she began to sweat and shake, he wondered if he could've missed it. Had she been poisoned while inside the way-station and he not seen it?

When she double over in pain, he wondered if she was having a heart attack. He caught an upward draft and glided down in front of her. He reached out to feel her skin, but ended up catching her as she slumped over.

Taking her pulse, he found that she wasn't dead. She had just passed out. He breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that she was still a target for the next couple of days and had to hid her somewhere... _neutral._ Looking at the candles flickering in the way-station windows, he knew he had to keep her there.

Picking her up in his arms, he carried her down the alley at the side of the building. A Fae sat on a trash pile next to a back door, smoking what smelled similar to marijuana.

"Open it," Marilus commanded, nodding at the door.

The Fae craned its neck sharply, looking up at Marilus. Its gaze then drifted over Malena and its eyes widened.

"Open it or you will end up like this one." Though it was a hollow threat, it worked to Marilus's advantage. He walked into the back of the way-station, propping Malena up against the wall. A small man walked in through the door immediately to their right. He tensed in the doorway as Marilus stood up straight.

"Are you the keeper of this way-station?" Marilus asked.

The man got a grip and walked over to Marilus. "That I am. Fitzpatrick McCorrigan of the clan Finharven."

"Marilus Brandt."

Fitzpatrick stopped and looked up at Marilus. "I would assume you are of the Tine Ríocht, then."

"You would assume correctly. I would like to sign us in."

"Us?" That's when he spotted Malena. "What happened to her?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss politics with a simple way-station attendant."

"I've known Malena Rhys and the Rhys clan since before she was born."

Marilus paused and considered how much he would be willing to divulge. "Malena and the High King and Queen are targets of a death plot. She has fallen into a coma and I need to keep her somewhere."

"She can stay in the basement where she will be safe. No one would expect for her to be there."

Marilus nodded and touched forearms with Fitzpatrick. "I thank you, Fitzpatrick McCorrigan."

"Please, you may call me Trick."

"Trick. I will return within the hour to check on her and keep constant watch on this way-station until she wakes." Marilus said as he lifted Malena again, going down the staircase into the basement. Placing her onto the couch, he turned and left.

There was an uneasy feeling inside of him as he left her there. He was convinced that something had gone down while he was with Malena and needed to get home. Fast.


	14. So Close

Once Trick had made Malena comfortable, he went back out to the bar. As he served another round to the group of Light Fae-who were celebrating a birth in their family-, he saw Marilus Brandt return. He had a very hard and indiscernible look on his face as he made his way to the back. Those who were dancing stopped and looked upon Marilus as though he were a god. He was unaffected, lost in his own thoughts.

Trick walked back to the bar and busied himself with cleaning each glass. In little time at all, Marilus had come back up the stairs and edged over to where Trick stood. He sat on the little bar stool and washed his hands over his face.

Trick looked up from his work and asked Marilus, "Somethin' botherin' you?"

Marilus sighed and looked into the small man's eyes. "The High King and Queen were assassinated less than four hours ago."

Trick, shaking his head, muttered an old Irish prayer under his breath.

"And Malena?"

"She hasn't woken yet. That worries me. Her pulse is weaker and breath is shallow."

"That worries me too."

Marilus shook his head, as if trying to rid his mind of some unfortunate bad memory. "May I trouble you for a drink?"

"No trouble at all." Trick filled three shot glasses with the clear liquid flame Malena liked and set them before Marilus.

Tentatively, he threw back the first glass. Trick saw Marilus' hard exterior cracking as his eyebrows rose.

"That was very good," he finally said. "It was almost similar to eating hot rocks. A nasty habit I picked up some 50 years ago."

"Malena's said it makes her tongue feel like she's licked a hot eye on a stove."

Marilus laughed at that. Downing his second drink, he looked quizzically at Trick.

"You talk to her often, then?"

"Yes. Although I haven't seen much of her in the last sixty years."

Marilus nodded. "I have a notion I'd like to run by you, old man. It's how Malena's parents died. As you know, once the death threat was issued, I was sent to protect Malena as I was the only one from my clan to know her. Two young Phoenix were chosen to protect the High King and Queen. Oddly enough, these Phoenix were from the Rhys clan and weren't accounted for when they died."

"Yes?" Trick's interest was piqued now.

"I have the sneaking suspicion those two were behind their parents' death."

"Do you have any idea who they are?"

"Their names are Evelyn and Theodore."

Trick felt his heart plummet into his stomach. "Evelyn and Theodore?"

"Do you know them as well?"

"Well, I met them several days ago. Mal said she'd found them and they were staying with her for a while."

This made Marilus upset. He didn't recognize how big this had gotten beforehand.

"They've been playing Mal in order to get to their parents, haven't they?" Trick asked after some time.

"Yes. What doesn't sit well with me is how they could get close to the High King and Queen in order to accomplish this. They only held an audience with one from outside of Tine Ríocht. Even then, those Fae must not be aligned with malicious intent."

Trick realized then what Marilus meant. In order to get to the king and queen, that Fae had to be pure of heart and unaligned. Marilus had also said that the only Fae to hold an audience with them recently was not of Tine Ríocht. Looking to his right he saw the flyer he'd posted hours ago. Kenzi.

Bo wouldn't let Kenzi out of her sight. Ever. Unless she wasn't around Kenzi.

He couldn't bring himself to tell Marilus. Though he loved Malena and would do anything for her parents, who had given him keep of the Dal Riata, he wouldn't ruin Bo. Wouldn't throw her under the bus. Especially if she had been persuaded or forced to get them in.

Downing his last drink, Marilus stood and pressed his extended forearm to Trick's. "I will return every day at noon and every evening after my shift to check on Malena. I will keep you updated so do not worry."

Trick couldn't help but worry. About Malena, about Kenzi and mostly about Bo. What had she gotten himself into?

~~~~~~~

Like he had said, Marilus came to the Dal Riata every afternoon and every night. Trick knew how stressful it was for him to watch Malena die a little every hour and know that those responsible for his comatose state were still around.

Once he walked into the Dal, Marilus wasn't eager to be there. He knew that nothing he tried would wake her. He would become so angry at himself and at her that he would picture himself ripping her siblings limb from limb. It had been three days since he had first brought Malena to the Dal and he had run out of solutions.

He became shocked to see two small gold-scarlet Phoenix sitting at a table to his right drinking merrily. It was them.

He had to force himself not to confront them and make his was into the basement. He sat beside Malena and looked at her. Her once lush tail feathers were now limp and nearly colorless. Her body was weak and withered from laying still for so long.

"I don't know if you will be able to come back from this," he spoke to her. "I suppose it would be for the best to tell you now before things get out of hand. Your parents died three days ago. Their killers are sitting at the bar above us right now."

He thought he saw her eyelids twitch, but became distracted as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.

A rugged looking Fae with brown hair and the face of a warrior looked over the scene before him. The way he looked at Malena made Marilus uneasy and he stood, bulled up at the possible threat.

"Dyson, wait," Trick's voice came from behind the Fae. His eyes didn't look away from Marilus'.

"What happened to her?" Dyson asked. He looked at the giant African man, seeing his grey eyes smoldering with fury.

"She is comatose. Her parents are dead and she would be as well had I not stayed with her. Who are you?" Marilus challenged.

"Dyson, this is Marilus Brandt of the Tine Ríocht. Marilus, Dyson," Trick introduced.

"Why are you here?" Dyson asked Marilus.

"I was sent by my parents to watch over her, as a death threat befell the High King, High Queen and Malena," Marilus lowered his voice. "As it looks like you have a deep connection with Malena, I request your assistance."

"How?"

"The High King and Queen's killers sit at the bar upstairs. I have no authority in this area and assume you would be willing to reach someone who would...dispose of them."

"How do you suggest he do that?" Trick asked. "There is little evidence other than your word, Marilus."

"Several nights ago, Malena, my partner and I had a discussion. She knew her siblings were involved in the kidnapping of Kenzi. Several Fae nobles were also killed in the fires. That alone is penalty for enslavement.

"A Fae that is still unaligned between Light and Dark was taken by Evelyn and Theodore. That is another mark against them."

"I trust that you will help us then?" Marilus concluded. Dyson nodded. The two of them made a silent agreement as they marched upstairs quickly to find Evelyn and Theodore making their way outside. Dyson intercepted them as they reached the curb.

"Evelyn and Theodore Rhys, by order of the Ash, you are under arrest for the murder of the High King and Queen of the Tine Ríocht as well as the kidnapping and deaths of humans and Fae nobles alike."

Theodore looked to be ready to flee, but Marilus emerged from the shadows, grabbing the young Phoenix and ripping his arms off. The blood curdling screams that followed shattered the streetlamps around them.

Handcuffing the struggling Evelyn and tossing Theodore's still screaming body into Dyson's car, he drove to confront the Ash with the predicament.

Marilus breathed a great sigh. From behind him, the door creaked open.

"Marilus," a hoarse voice called out.

He turned and was shocked to see Malena shuffling out to him, Trick helping her as best he could. She fell into Marilus and he wrapped his arms around her awkwardly.

"Malena? What-how?" he stammered. He could believe she had pulled through the coma after moments ago he was planning her funeral in his head.

"You said my parents were dead. Is it true?"

"Yes. Their killers have been taken into custody and will be evaluated before the Ash and the Morrígan."

"I know it was Evelyn and Theodore, but there's something else. What about Bo?"

"Who's Bo?"

"She's the tool that they used to get close to my parents. There's no way that they could persuade her, no matter how much you appeal to her sexual desires. They must've paid off a doppelgänger or something. Regardless, this case isn't quite over yet. And I still have four hours before your deadline."


	15. Ashes to Ashes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the conclusion of this story, there will be an extra portion that reveals a bit more about the Tine Ríocht. All spoken word in this extra section is actually not spoken in English, but rather in the language of the Phoenix.
> 
> The quote, however, is in English and was from William Manchester, American novelist.

Marilus wasn't completely sure he understood. He held Malena at arms length from him and looked into her violet eyes. There was a weak gaze into his own grey eyes which held much determination in them.

"I'm still not convinced. You sound...unstable, assuming this Bo character's significance like you are," he objected.

"Maybe I am unstable, but I'm not blind," she declared. "Her age and her background worked against her. Eve and Theo used her lack of understanding to convince her to do their bidding. But she's much stronger than they thought. If there's any way she could be alive, I'm going to do everything in my power to keep her alive."

"What do you need from us, Mal?" Trick asked, sensing the urgency of the situation.

"Tell Hale to go and check Bo and Kenzi's living place, see if they stashed her there. Marilus and I need to get to the house and search for something that suggests they used a doppelgänger. They were the only ones at my house this past week."

She leaned away from Marilus and hugged Trick close to her. "I love you, Trick. We'll bring her back to you."

Marilus tried to ignore the intimate goodbye between the way-station attendant and Malena. Pushing down any feelings he felt, he snapped his fingers twice. The Rolls-Royce Corniche V pulled around the corner and idled before them. Marilus reached towards Malena and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the backseat next to him. The driver stepped on the pedal and peeled out onto the street.

"Where are we headed?" Marilus asked.

"Continue this way for five miles, you'll run straight into a wooded, gated area," she muttered. Reaching to her neck, she grabbed the chain and yanked it off her neck. On the end of the chain was a shimmering key. As she passed it to Marilus, he took it by the key, his skin sizzling at the contact with the key. "This will override the code and you can get in. My house is the only one up there."

As the car screeched to a stop before the wrought iron gate, Marilus hopped out quickly and put the key into the lock. As he turned it, there was a sharp tweet and the gate eased open on robotic arms. He got back into the Corniche V and they continued until the white two story was in view.

"Stop here," he commanded his driver. The car lurched to a stop and he and Malena rushed to the front door. He lifted her up onto the porch and jumped up next to her as she opened the door.

The glittering light from the chandelier cascaded light all about the foyer. Malena pointed to the right along a dark hallway.

"You go check that way, make sure you search the basement. I'll head upstairs and check the bedrooms."

Marilus nodded and departed swiftly. With quite some difficulty, she reached the top of the stairs and went to the guest bedroom. There were no other doors in this room, only a full sized bed pushed up against the window. Her body felt like a lead weight as she lay on the floor, checking underneath the bed. Nothing. She grabbed the mattress tightly and got to her feet. Shuffling out into the hall again, she faced the other door. Her bedroom.

The door creaked as she pushed it open. There was a darkness that seemed to rush out into the rest of the house with the opening of the door. Penetrating this living darkness was a single large flame that licked from a hollow in the center of the room. Keeping the flame going were the sprigs of date palm and pieces from the dead trunk of the Oak of Mamre. The scent of cinnamon clung to her clammy skin as she went to the closet.

Upon opening the door, she found a small dark haired girl, bound and gagged. Her body shook from fear and she looked at Malena with fearful grey eyes. She quickly grabbed the phone at the girl's foot and called the number displayed as a missed call.

"Dyson," the wolf answered. His voice was tense and it was apparent to Malena that Trick had filled him in on the problem. "Have you found Kenzi?"

"Yes," she hissed. "Get Hale and meet at my house. Quickly."

She dropped the phone and undid the binds around Kenzi. As she removed the gag, the small human arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Thank you so much!" she gasped.

"Listen to me, Kenzi. Run down these stairs as fast as you can. I've got to be quick and find your succubus before it's too late. Get as far back into the yard as possible. Help is on the way," Malena commanded.

The girl nodded and took off. Malena stumbled over the the hollow and stared into the flame. She closed her eyes and pulled as much of her strength out of her as possible. She had to finally close this case.

Marilus watched as the human girl hurried past him on the staircase. He could feel Malena's energy upstairs and took the stairs three at a time. He peeked into the open room and saw her standing before a lit pyre. He cleared his throat and her eyes shot open.

"There's evidence that suggests something less like a doppelgänger but more similar to a kumiho. A Korean succubus-shifter of sorts," he informed her. It didn't appear she understood the significance so he decided to tell her the problem. "Kumihos are very uncommon in this area and are easily bribed with the promise of human organs. Your siblings have brought an illegal killer to this area."

"That's it then," she whispered. "They're done. But, what about Bo? Did you find anything?"

"Did you not find anything up here? There was a light in one of these upper level windows."

"The lights aren't on in any of these rooms and the windows here are only visible from the back... Oh no." Her eyes widened in fear as she moved past Marilus towards the stairs. Stopping at the staircase landing, she looked up. There was a small door with a lock on the crude latch.

"Marilus, come help me get this open. Then give me a boost up. Once I get up here, I need you to go and informed Dyson of what was found when he gets here."

Marilus went to her side and stood up on the balls of his feet. With a swift yank, he popped the lock open and the latch swung free. He grabbed Malena around her waist and lifted her to the ceiling. When she pushed the door up, she was shocked by what she saw. It looked like something out of a porn movie set. She braced her arms on the floor and wiggled into the attic space. She saw the overly plush scarlet rug and the dark form that lay there. She crawled over and moved the damp brown hair from the face, confirming that it was the succubus.

"Bo?" She shook the woman's arm gently, then more forcefully as she didn't respond. "Bo?"

The succubus' eyes shot open and sparked icy blue. With a fierce grip, she had her hand behind Malena's head. The sexual chi began flowing from the Phoenix into the succubus. Malena began to stop Bo but resisted. It would be best if she were able to tell Dyson her side of the story, inevitably putting her siblings further behind bars. Her eyelids began to droop and as the last bit of energy left her body, a spark set off inside of her.

The flames of the dying Phoenix licked at Bo's face as she came to terms with the situation she was in. Malena's body dropped next to hers and the flames roared to life. Though she had some strength back, Bo knew there was no way for her to leave the house quickly. There was a sound of breaking glass and sharp pain shot from both of Bo's shoulders. She was pulled backwards and watched as she was carried out onto the front lawn.

She looked and saw the mighty bird beating it's wings, the violet and green feathers nearly invisible in the darkness. It seemed to be looked at her before it flew back in the direction of the house. Bo looked behind her at the sound of a car accelerating and doors slamming. She didn't notice the bird fly off into the night with a white mass in its talons.

"Bo," Dyson whispered as he held her shaking body close. "What happened in there?"

"I ate her. I-i can't...can't believe it," she stammered.

"Malena. You mean Malena?" She nodded and Dyson moved her closer to Kenzi. The two women hugged tightly as he moved towards the now smoldering house. The only damaged seemed to stay confined to the upper level.

Hale took this as an opportunity to confront Dyson. "What's goin' on, D?"

"Malena's dead," he growled. "There's no way we can mention this to Trick. If it's broken my heart, imagine what it'll do to him."

"Nah, man. I get it." They nodded and walked back over to the women. They carried them to Dyson's car and prepared to take them to the hospital.

 _Can Mal come back from this one?_ Dyson thought as he drove in silence.

~~~~~~~

The violet-jade Phoenix soared over the dark landscape of the forests. The glimmering white mass that was tucked in his talons began to grow hotter and hotter. The Phoenix knew it had to return home soon.

Opening its beak, the Phoenix uttered a single high pitch, too high to be heard by humans. As the sound reverberated on the sloping hillside, flames sprung up. The flames then spiraled around one another, creating a vortex that sank forty, fifty feet into the earth.

The Phoenix plunged deep into the vortex and came out in the dimension of the Tine Ríocht. The large onyx palace on the outer reach of the kingdom was spit flame out, as was its twin in the center of the kingdom. The Phoenix entered through an opening in the keep.

As it landed, the Phoenix dropped the white mass gently on the floor and with a final beat of its wing, it changed into a man. Marilus bowed to the man and woman standing before him.

"Marilus?" she called out to him. He stood obediently and saw her eying the white mass next to him. "What is this you bring us?"

"I bring you the offspring of the High King and Queen," was his response. The man before him bristled and walked towards Marilus. The man's broad shoulders were tensed as he examined the smaller version of himself.

"Marilus, was it not your duty to watch the Rhys offspring?" his father inquired harshly.

"That it was, my lord. However, she gave up her life essence for another."

"Hmm. A brave task for such a pitiful woman." The quip about Malena stirred something inside Marilus, yet he kept it at bay. "You come here with this egg for what purpose then?"

"I bring it to ask Their Highnesses of their wishes on dealing with their...daughter."

Marilus' father's eyebrows rose and he turned to look at his wife. She nodded and rushed to open the doors behind her. Two young children, almost identical at first glance, walked into the room.

"Your Highnesses, our son wishes an audience with you," his mother whispered as they passed her.

"Allow me to inquire something beforehand," the young boy lisped. "How did you know that we were alive to have an audience with you, Princling?"

"Each claimed offspring has an unbreakable connection to its parents. At your initial demise, your daughter went into a coma. As she woke abruptly from the cusp of death hours ago, I knew you were alive and in power again," he admitted.

The young boy with the gold-scarlet hair nodded with a smirk. "Indeed. We are greatly indebted to you. Give us the child and we will promptly place her in skilled hands."

Marilus bent down and picked up the egg in one hand. As he stretched out his arm, the eyes of the young girl widened in anticipation. He placed the egg in both of her hands and she nuzzled it.

"Thank you, young Brandt," she said with awe in her voice. "When we return her to the human dimension, you shall be rewarded with any Fae of your choosing."

They turned to leave, but Marilus called after them. "You misunderstood, Your Highnesses." His father's glare burned holed through Marilus as the young king turned back to him.

"Did we now, Princling? Please enlighten us," he threatened.

"I don't wish for any Fae woman. I wish for the Phoenix sworn to me from my birth. I wish for her." He motioned with his head to the now light red egg that was pressed against the young queen's chest. As he motioned, she cowered behind her husband. There was heavy silence which was cut by a sigh that escaped the young king's lips. It had the sound of a shrill whistle.  


"Certainly you joke. We have watched her all her life and know what she is. She's a manipulator. She'd crush you given the chance. But, if that's what you want, we will see." With that he and his wife left in a flourish.

Marilus' parents waited several beats and he turned his attention to his parents. His father slapped his open palm over his heart. "You understand the position we've been put in with this ordeal and you would jeopardize that with your pride to control this pathetic woman?!"

Marilus ground his teeth in silence and stalked towards the doors and up to his room. He refused to acknowledge the emotions that came with his being around Malena as anything but business related.

Marilus' father looked to his wife for reason. The dark glare he sent her way made her face fall. "He is simply reeling from the loss of his charge, my lord. I do not believe it is anything more," she said.

"I will reproach his for this uncouth behavior at a later time. Right now, we must consider the Rhys children's actions and find a punishment that meet the requirements of our laws."

She nodded and wrapped her deep green cloak over her leathery skin. There was no room for mercy at this point. The Rhys children were criminals under every extent of the law. If what their son had informed them of was true, they would also need to be held accountable under the law of the Ash as well.

"I will request an audience with the Ash, then?" Her husband grunted, ending their conversation there. She nodded compliantly and went to look out the opening in the keep. Just beyond the Rhys palace was the fiery prison which displayed their best catch to all in the Tine.

Its species was nearly wiped out, leaving the High King and Queen to order the surviving one to be placed under lock and key. None but the Blood King knew of its eternal jailing in the Tine. Though it chose to stay in its human form, it made her almost fearful. Almost.

Its eyes bore holes into her head, leaving a thought before she turned away. Though she did not put much stock into the quote, it had planted a seed of doubt in her mind. Doubt of her husband's secure lock made of the bones of their ancestors.  


"Abruptly the poker of memory stirs the ashes of recollection and uncovers a forgotten ember, still smoldering down there, still hot, still glowing, still red as red."

The Garuda laughed, softly at first, then more forcefully as the walls of its flaming cage began to flicker. Soon they would venture over and strengthen them. All it had to do was wait. And it was getting very good at being patient.  



	16. Continuation?

Hope that the story was enjoyable. As I read through it before posting the final chapter, I wondered whether there should be more. If you've been reading this story since its inception, I would like to know if there should be more. Maybe concerning the Tine  Ríocht, maybe digging deeper into Trick's involvement with Malena... Feel free to comment with any suggestions.

Thanks,

Terra (Kittykat748)


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